Scottevest Tropiformer Jacket

One of the best things about the tablets and smartphones are that you can carry them just about anywhere and everywhere. Carrying gadgets without looking like one is carrying one’s gadgets ( ie: thief magnet) can be a challenge, but one of our favorite lines of tech clothing is out, and is a must have jacket for tech enthusiasts – the ScotteVest Tropiformer Jacket.

Overview

At first glance, the Tropiformer resembles a well-tailored, sturdy zippered windbreaker. But if you scrutinize further, you’ll discover 22 integrated pockets and pouches in and out, some with concealed pockets within pockets. Color coded zippers and internal icon labels identify places to store your pens, cellphones, cameras, your passport, wallet and other valuable items. It also comes with a stowable hood, styluses, handwarmer pockets, several pairs of eyeglasses and places allocated for your coins. Some pockets are even interconnected so that battery packs, headphones and chargers can connect discreetly.

Most people carry their iPad and iPhone with them, but it is often difficult to carry your iPad without a bag. The ScotteVest Tropiformer Jacket resolves this issue with a dedicated pocket that fits a mini or full sized iPad right in the jacket.

The Tropiformer offers a perfect balance of style and functionality. It really is a great looking jacket which enables you to carry your iPad and iPhone at ease as well as lot of other cool stuff without the need for a utility belt. The jacket has 22 pockets, but certainly doesn’t look like it. All pockets are well designed, concealed and extremely useful.

Perhaps the most useful feature on the Tropiformer is the Quick Draw Pocket located at the front of the jacket. With your smartphone in it, you can see the screen by merely taking a peek inside the jacket, and you can operate your device through the transparent material. The extendable key holder on the right-front pocket is also convenient; you won’t have to worry about losing your keys during outdoor excursions.

Magnets located in the detachable sleeves may need some getting used to. They like to attach to metal door frames, and as such are not the ideal if you like to slouch in the doorways. The quick-draw sleeves and functionality make up for this trivial setback.

Convertible Windbreaker

The Tropiformer resembles a windbreaker or some other light jacket you’d wear on a fishing trip. The waterproof polyester material zips in the middle has a cellphone compartment, handwarmer pockets located by your abdomen and it will keep you dry all the time. It comes in green, blue, red, dark and light gray, in six sizes from XXX-Large to small, and provides comfort and protection against wind and rain just like any windbreaker. Once you wear the jacket, you’ll begin to notice the difference.

One of the most notable features of the Tropiformer is that it can convert from a jacket to a vest. Sleeves and the upper body area are detachable from the jacket’s vest, connected to the vest with tiny magnets that align easily when you reattach the sleeves. The sleeves are well connected with the shrug, allowing you put them on and remove them with easy motion. Magnets ensure that you don’t grope with the zipper each time you want to convert the jacket to a vest and the other way round. Note that the magnets don’t firmly hold the shrug in place, but even when they detach the shrug remains in place around your arms and functionality is not compromised.

Lots of Pockets

Reach inside the jacket and you’ll come across zippers, and lots of them. Besides the outer pockets, the Tropiformer features 22 zip-up internal pockets. Close to two dozen of these are sub-pockets, pockets within pockets that allow you to store your glasses, cameras, passports and other items of value. One inner zipper pocket is ideally suited to guard your wallet and passport from pickpockets.

The abdomen and left breast pockets have inner pockets in them that are firmly secured by the same magnets which hold the shrug in place as well as clear material that allows you to see your touch screen and manipulate functions while its held in the pockets. The pockets are mazed with such clever touches. For instance, the right handwarmer pocket has a lobster clip merged with a rubber rope to ensure that your security badge or keys are bound, as well as an elastic band for securing your water bottle. Outer pockets have numerous pass-throughs so your headphones can run through to your tablet or smartphone in the jacket.

Yes It Can Securely Hold a Tablet

The inner right side has a vertical zipper located just next to the main zipper. That’s where you store your tablet, and it can even firmly hold a full-size iPad. You won’t experience any problems securing your third-generation iPad in the jacket, even if that big flat rectangular device made a layout of the jacket seem a little awkward. You can store you Samsung Galaxy S III, Nintendo 3DS XL and Google Nexus 7 all in different compartments of the jacket, and it will still appear natural.

Not a single cloth can alter the fact that a 10inch glass and aluminum rectangle is laying underneath, and the jacket does a really good job in concealing and securing smaller gadgets. The fact that the iPad can fit into the pockets with ease is remarkable on its own. Although the jacket can firmly hold your iPad in its pockets, I wouldn’t recommend making it a habit, just in terms of style and comfort.

Pros

Has a lot of clever and enticing design features. Can hold lots of electronics comfortably, and with ease.

Cons

It goes without say that such a jacket would be expensive, and it certainly is. Magnetic fastenings can also pose a slight inconvenience, although they are indisputably cool.

Conclusion

The Scottevest Tropiformer Jacket is a well designed and incredibly smart way to carry most of your crucial accessories without a dedicated bag. It will also protect you from external weather elements such as wind and rain.

Web Designer, Developer and professional writer covering computers and technology through the eras of Commodore 64, Amiga, Pilot 1000, iPhone and so on into the future. When not managing GadgetNutz he is developing new websites for his clients around the world.